How to imitate scaling a mesh in Edit Mode without Edit Mode (ie. keeping object transforms at 1, 1, 1 with modal control of the scale)
Use shape keys



Demo, set up with array (fit curve) and curve modifier. The cone is given a shape key which is 1 / 10 the scale of original.  Because the array modifier is using the mesh dimension this "emulates applying scale" in the modifier.

For set up above, when the shapekey value is dragged to  1, the "scale" is 1/10 making 10 x more cones fit the path.